I have a vivid memory of snorkeling the seagrass beds around Port St. Joe when I was an undergraduate marine biology student. Our field research lab involved completing a visual fish survey, using waterproof dive slates and pencils to record ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
I was lucky enough to spend this past weekend exploring a lovely, low-key stretch of northwest Florida. We hiked trails and took the boat tour at Wakulla Springs State Park, marveling at the numerous alligators and admiring birds and a slow-moving ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
If you’ve spent any time on the coast, you know we’ve got plenty of marine mammals. Dolphins will surface in pods, delighting beachgoers; they’ll bow-ride along boats and occasionally treat onlookers to a full Sea World-style leap ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
While we have luckily avoided direct impacts from recent hurricanes Helene and Milton in northwest Florida, we still felt their massive size and power. These storms whipped up the entire Gulf of Mexico, pushing creatures rarely seen above ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
UF IFAS Extension Escambia County was recently able to offer a native tree and shrub giveaway to our community. A county partner had some grant funding remaining and chose a nice selection of plants grown by a local native nursery. After seeing ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Wildlife
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you probably know why I started writing. By nature of my job duties and professional expertise, friends and clientele frequently reach out when they come across something odd while outdoors. I’ve ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
I’m not sure if you’ve ever stared at a plant for 15 minutes and tried to count and identify all the insects on it, but I can attest it’s not easy! That is exactly what I, and dozens of volunteers, did last Friday (August 23) as part of ... READ MORE
Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Roundworms differ from flatworms in that… well… they are round. You might recall from Part 1 of this series that flatworms were flat which helps with exchange of materials inside and out of the body. Flatworms were acoelomates – they ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
While 8-legged critters often spook people, my son has a soft spot for spiders. Years ago, he discovered one while in the shower, covered it with a cup to protect it from the threat of the drain, and released it safely outdoors. On a recent ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
People have a lot of strong feelings about snakes. Whether it be fear, alarm, hatred, or wonder, it’s rare someone doesn’t react at all to seeing a snake in front of them. I will say, though, that when one of our volunteers sent a photo ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife